Today began with another early morning alarm (3:45am) so I could catch the train to Glenwood Springs, CO when it rolled through Provo at 4:35am.

Because I was departing early, the B&B left me a to-go breakfast in the fridge downstairs. I brewed a cup of coffee, grabbed the breakfast bag, and stepped out into pre-dawn Provo for a second straight day. The train was delayed about an hour (not sure why) but that gave me time to eat breakfast before boarding.

When the train finally arrived, I boarded what looked like a scene from a gas-attacked passenger car – bodies everywhere. Seriously. People were spread across coach seats in some of the most uncomfortable positions imaginable. Personal belongings were strewn across their bodies and the floor in front of their seats. And the place was eerily quiet. But, as alluded to in the opening line, this was a blessing, as it provided the perfect environment for writing. No, not necessarily the bodies everywhere, but the lack of chatter and people bustling about – only the clacking of the train along the tracks. Even better, as the sun rose, people kept snoozing, presumably the result of their difficulty getting quality sleep in coach seats (validation for my sleeper car decisions). So, I got to keep working in quiet, but with the added benefit of views like this all to myself.

As a result, I was able to edit 2,289 words and crank out 763 new words – all before 11:00am. To celebrate my productivity, I spent the next hour taking in the beauty of Western Colorado from the observation car lounge.

I returned to my seat for the home stretch, where I enjoyed a conversation with a cattle-ranching couple who had boarded while I was in the lounge. I learned about the ranching business until we pulled into Glenwood Springs, where I disembarked and was immediately reminded of why I wanted to move out here after college (and often during, if I’m honest…).